Rotary engine



Oct. 29, i929.

J. W. HOWARD ROTARY ENGINE Filed Sept. 19. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet I Z- O OO Q G 0 o i@ o 42 5/ za '3f Q lg /9 I "q 2d ag f3 f5 40 2 l n o 4 'I l lze i a7 55;/ o o 4,0 5 4 v 38 74 ,77 57 39 fg (D 2.5' xx l gp 34( 43 O so j 0 O O O .5 v// /0 f6 /Z WITNESS:

Jil/H0 warf' ATTO R N EY Oct. 29, 1929. J. w. HOWARD 1,733,965

ROTARY ENGINE Filed sept, 19. 1927 2 sheets-'sheet 2 y j J3,

m l/ fa i j;

f5/r. J4, 30

NNNNNNN OR Patented Oct. 29, 1929 JOHN W. HOWARD, OF TBENTON, NEW JERSEYROTARY ENGINE Application led September 19, 1927. Serial No. 220,601?,

The present invention relates to rotar engines and has for its objectsto provi e an engine simple of construction "and effective in operation,in which the principles of an internal combustion engine are utilizedand which at the saine time eliminates theexpensive parts ordinarilynecessary in engines of this character.

A further Objectis to utilize novel and effective principles in theconstruction of engines of this character.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following descriptionland will be set forth in the appended claims, and I do not wish to belimited in the scope of my 1n-v vention except as I shall be limited bysaid claims.

In the drawings: 1

Figure 1 is a horizontal section through the cylinders of an enginebuilt in .accordance with the principles of my invention.

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, showing the cylindersin cross section.

Figure 3 is a section on the' line 3-'3 of Figure 1, showing therelation of the piston rods to the pistons. l

Figure 4 is a detail View of the cover plate for the intake to thecylinders vand showing intake apertures. h' A The present invention isdesigned to be driven by any sort of gasesor liquid fuel, or to operatewith steam or air.

Referring to the drawings by reference numerals,'10 designates a casingwhich 1 s preferably .spherical in its contour'and is provided withilanges 11 by which it may be attached to a suitable support. 12 and 12are piston cylinders which are preferably of arc uate configurationhaving .a circular cross section, the inner and outer surfaces of thewalls being sectors of concentric circles. The cylinders are mounted forrotation about. a horizontal axis and are provided with suitablesupporting shafts 13 and 14 with which they are rotatably connected bymeans of the cover plates 15 and 41, the shaft 1 3 being fixed by a pin`13 to a bracket 17 formed with the casing 10, while the shaft 14 issupported by the casing 10 in a journalbox 18, the latthe cylinders.

terbeing formed as a sleeve projecting from the cover plate 19 securedover an aperture in the wall of the casing 10, rotation beingfacilitated by means of ball bearings 20,21 and 22, the two latter beingformed in thebearings 18, the ball bearings 20 being carried by thecover plate 15 to facilitate rotation of The cylinders are providedadjacent one of the bearings with intake ports 23 and 24 from which vthepassageways 25 liead to points near the middle of the.y cyliners. l

Mounted within the cylinders are arcuate pistons 26 and 27, thecurvature of which is such as to conform with the curvature of thelcylinders themselves, the pistons being connected by a hollow connectingrod 28 extending diametrically of the circle of which the two cylinders.are sectors, the ends of the rod being connected with the pistons bymeans of ball and socket joints 29 and 30 to provide for a certainamount of play between the pistons and the rod. The rod is also spaced acertain distance from the walls of the pistons, as shown at 31, for thesame purpose, the cylinders being slotted as at 31"L to provide a pathof travel for the rod 28 incident to the movement of the pistons.

The cylinders are provided with by-passes 32 and 33 having an inletopening adj acent the intake end of the cylinders and an outlet openingtoward the exhaust end of the cylinders, the exhausts 34 of thecylinders being connected with the cylinders through passageways 35leading to points intermediate the ends thereof and at a distance fromthe exhaust substantially7 .equal .to the distance of the connection of..tlie cylinders with the channels 25. The exhaust-fitl will be noted,is substantially diametricall'y oppesi'te to the intake 24, the exhaustpipe 36 leading from the exhaust channel 34, which is preferably annularin shape as is also the channel 24 constituting the intake, the intakebeing connected with a carbureter, designated at 37, by means of a pipe38, the pipe being connected at its dischargey end with a cover plate39, spring pressed as at 40 against the cover plate 41 secured to thecylinders, as by screws 42, the cover plate 39 having a single aperturein which the end of the pipe 38 is secured, the cover plate 41 beingprovided with two elongated apertures 43 adapted to be brought intorotation with the single aperture in the cover plate 39 as the cylindersrotate about their axis.

The cylinders are connected with the shaft 14 by means of a supportingwall 44 having a sleeve 45 extending therefrom which is secured tontheshaft 14 by means of a pin 46, the shaft' 14 constituting the powertakeoff from the engine. The inner end of the shaft is provided with aball and socket support 47 connected to the shaft 28. The shaft 28 isprovided with a stub shaft 49 journaled in a sleeveO arranged in thehorizontal plane of the shaft 14 but lying at an angle thereto, theshaft 13 beingvbcnt at 51 to form a su .port fol` said sleeve. In thecourse of t e operation of the device the cylinders will revolve aboutthe axes 13 and 14 and a considerable centrifugal force' will be exertedoutwardly on the pistons when the cylinders have attained a considerablevelocity.l This centrifugal force will cause an undue amount of frictionon the outer walls of the cylinders and toavoid this I have connectedthe pistons by means of a rod 52 threadedly secured 'at its ends tocup-shaped members 53 set in shouldered recesses 54 formed in thecylinders, and in order to have ready access to these parts foradjustment or renewal thereof I have provided apertures 55 in the wallsof the cylinders closed by a cover plate 56. A cover plate similar tothat shown at 39 is provided at 57, which is spring-pressed against acover plate 58 similar to the cover p ate 41 by means of springs 59 setin sockets formed in the casi-ng and bearing against the outersurface-of the plates in the same manner as the springs 40 associatedwith the cover platev 39.

The o eration of the device is as follows: In startlng the engine thereis the necessity of the usual cranking or starter connections common toall internal combustion engines, and as the cylinders revolve from theposition shown to the opposite position, the pistons 26 and 27 willexchange. relationships to their respective cylinders. For example, letus su pose that at the start the pistons 26 and 27 are in therelationship shown in Figure 1. In this osition the fuel is free to flowfrom the inta e through the passage 25 into the interior of the cylinder12. The fuel contained in the cylinder 12l` will be passing under thepressure of the piston through the by-pass into the opposite end of thecylinder and on further rotation of the cylinders will be compressed atthe opposite end until it reaches the position of the cylinder 12, whenthe sparking mechanism 60 will come into Ypositlo'n to contact with theelectrical contact 6:1, when the gas will be exploded causing the pistonto move toward the opposite end of the cylinder. This operation of thepiston will give a rotary impulse to the cylinders through the shaft 28which is mounted on an axis at an angle to the axis of the shafts 13 and14. This operation will be repeated over and over, causing the rotationof the cylinders to continue so long as it is desired to operate theengine and so long as fuel is fed through the port 24.

The engine is preferably air cooled and for this purpose the casing 10is provided with a plurality of apertures 62, the rotation of thecylinders causing a suction for drawing air from the outside of thecasing.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a rotary engine, arcuate cylinders having arcuate pistons thereinand revoluble about a horizontal axis, a connecting rod secured at itsends to the pistons, said connecting rod being rotatably mounted torevolve in a plane at an angle to the axis of rotation of the cylinders,inlet and outlet ports for said cylinders, and a by-pass connected tothe cylinders at points on opposite sides of the center thereof, saidinlet and outlet ports be-4 ing respectively adjacent the opposite endsof the axis of rotation of the cylinders.

2. In a device of the character' described, cylinders rotatably mountedabout an axis, intake and outlet ports formed at opposite ends of saidcylinders, apertured cover plates having their apertures registeringwith said ports and secured to the cylinders, a casing surrounding saidcylinders, cover plates extending over the first named cover plates,said second named cover plates each having a single aperture adapted toregister with the apertures in the lirst named cover plate, pistons insaid cylinders, and means for taking oil' power from the movement ofsaid cylinders.

3. A rotary engine comprising a casing, arcuate cylinders havingconnection with each other for movement accordingly and being revolvableabout a horizontal axis in said casing, arcuate pistons mounted formovement in said cylinders, a connecting rod secured to said pistonsYand being rotatably mounted to revolve in a plane at an angle to theaxis of the rotation of said cylinders for continuously moving thepistons in a reciprocatory manner, intake and outlet ports forsaidcylinders and arranged at the opposlte ends thereof, means forintroducing fuel in the intake ports, exhaust means in communicationwith the outlet' ports, said cylinders being provided with a by-passy incommunication therewith at points on op.. posite sides of the centerthereof, said-cylinders being provided with passageways a1;- ranged .inopposed relation with-respect to the by-pass of each cylinder-,Land eachcylinder having its passage ways" extendin from 'adjacentthe centerthereof and terminating into the intake and exhaust ports, and ignitionmeans in said casing and secured to the cylinders respectively.

4. A rotary engine comprising arcuate cyl- 5 inders mounted for rotationabout an axis, intake and outlet ports arranged at the ends of saidcylinders and being formed therewith, arcuate p istons slidably mountedin said cylinders, a rod connecting said pistons,1 a

stub shaft extending at right angles from said rod and secured thereto,a sleeve rotatably receiving said stub shaft and providing a bearingtherefor, said sleeve being arranged at an angle to the axis of rotationof said cylinders, a power take-01T shaft having flexible connectionwith said rod, `a shaft having one end bent and fixedly secured to saidsleeve, and journals on the last mentioned shaft 4and for the powertake-olf shaft respectively.

5. A rotary engine comprising revolvable cylinders, a casing housingsaid cylinders and being provided with a plurality of open-. ings,supporting means :for said cylinders,

said cylinders being provided with intake and outlet ports, aperturedcover plates for said ports, spring pressed cover plates rotatablyreceiving said apertured cover plates and be- `wing provided with asingle aperture arranged for alternate registration with the aperturesof said a ertured cover plates, pistons mounted for slldable movement insaid cylinders, a rod connecting said pistons and mounted to rotate in aplane at an angle to the axis of the rotation of the cylinders, meansincluded in therod connection with said cylinders to prevent undue wearon the outer surfaces -of the Walls of the cylinders and a powertake-oit shaft having connection with said rod.

6. In a rotary engine, a casing, arcuate shaped cylinders rotatablymounted in said J casing on oppositely disposed trunnions and l beingoppositely disposed with respect to each v other, arcuate pistonsmounted for slidable 15 movement in said cylinders, a piston roddiametrically disposed with respect to said casing and having its endsloosely connected with said pistons, said rod having a pivotal supportarranged at an angle-to the axis of rotation of said cylinders and beinghollow,

ball and socket joints vincluded in the connection of the ends of saidhollow rod with said pistons, a rod arranged in the hollow rod and beingalso connected-with said pistons, and means carried by said pistons fordetachably receiving and securing the ends of the rod arranged in thehollow rod.

In testimony whereof I alx m signature.

' JOHN W. I-I WARD.

